Cooking for one shouldn't be boring, expensive or wasteful. Maggie Maguire shows you how.

SALAD PAYSANNE

February 7, 2011

A Salad Paysanne, like a Salad Nicoise is an entire meal in a bowl. You can vary the ingredients to suit yourself, but the general consensus is that bacon and new potatoes must feature. This version makes 2 meals – one dinner and a lunch box for the next day.

3 small new potatoes cooked in skins and cooled (cut into quarters)

2 tomatoes (cut into 8 wedges)

1/2 red onion (sliced)

1 handful of cooked green beans (cut off the tops and tails of the beans before cooking)

1 rasher of bacon (chopped into small pieces)

2 hardboiled eggs (chopped into quarters)

METHOD

1. Arrange the cooked potatoes in the centre of a plate.

2. Fry the bacon pieces quickly in a small amount of oil until brown and crispy.

3. Place the bacon pieces over the potatoes.

4. Arrange the beans, onion, tomatoes and eggs over and around the potatoes.

5. If you are eating the salad straight away pour over Curried Sour Cream Dressing. If you are taking the meal to work the next day, take the dressing with you in a small, tightly lidded jar and add just before eating.